This region at the southern tip of Portugal gained its place on world tourist maps because of its string of beautiful, clean, sandy beaches. Lovely coves, caves, and grottos -- some accessible only by boat -- add to the region's allure. There are hundreds of beaches to choose from. Albufeira and Praia da Rocha are set against a backdrop of towering rock formations; the best cove beach is at Lagos, a former Moorish town with a deep-water harbor and wide bay.
